Rifle reloading with the 550B
Quote from Reloader on September 18, 2010, 4:23 amHow do things work??? Can I just tumble the finished rounds to remove the lube?? I know this is probably posted here, somewhere, but I want to see it for myself.
What is the "recommended" process for reloading rifle brass on the 550B?
How do things work??? Can I just tumble the finished rounds to remove the lube?? I know this is probably posted here, somewhere, but I want to see it for myself.
What is the "recommended" process for reloading rifle brass on the 550B?
Quote from Reloader on September 18, 2010, 8:28 pmI reload 30-06 and this is how I do it on the 550B: I take all my spent brass from the range and decap it all on a single stage press; tumble the brass to clean it; then lube it to be resized in station 1 of the 550; at this time I use the case length guage for headspacing and if need be trimming; If all is satisfactory, I chamfer the case mouths to allow for easy bullet seating; Now every operation will be run as usual except for station 1. Station 1 will now only be used to prime. Just pay attention to detail and periodically weigh the powder charges and you will surprise yourself at the output of this machine.
I reload 30-06 and this is how I do it on the 550B: I take all my spent brass from the range and decap it all on a single stage press; tumble the brass to clean it; then lube it to be resized in station 1 of the 550; at this time I use the case length guage for headspacing and if need be trimming; If all is satisfactory, I chamfer the case mouths to allow for easy bullet seating; Now every operation will be run as usual except for station 1. Station 1 will now only be used to prime. Just pay attention to detail and periodically weigh the powder charges and you will surprise yourself at the output of this machine.
Quote from Reloader on January 11, 2011, 2:17 amI reload .223 and 6.8 SPC on my 550b.
I use 2 toolhead setups for each...process is the same...
1. Tumble brass, to clean it up
2.Lube brass, I use Dillon Spray lube
3. Size./Deprime/Trim. Toolhead 1 is setup with a decapping die in station 1, 2 empty, 3 RT 1200 Rapid Trim and Sizing die, station 4 empty.
4. Tumble again to remove lube and burrs on casemouths, again 1/2-1 hour.
5. If the brass is once fired military stuff, I use the Super Swage to remove the crimps.
6. Setup press with Tool head 2, Station 1 is a decapping die for clearing tumbleing media from the primer pockets, 2 is powder die, 3 is bullet seater, 4 is the Lee Factory Crimp die. Fill primer magazine and bullet tray and start loading!!!
So far I've loaded 6000 rounds of .223 for my AR 15 using this method, and I'm working on my first 1000 rounds of 6.8 spc as well.
-dave
I reload .223 and 6.8 SPC on my 550b.
I use 2 toolhead setups for each...process is the same...
1. Tumble brass, to clean it up
2.Lube brass, I use Dillon Spray lube
3. Size./Deprime/Trim. Toolhead 1 is setup with a decapping die in station 1, 2 empty, 3 RT 1200 Rapid Trim and Sizing die, station 4 empty.
4. Tumble again to remove lube and burrs on casemouths, again 1/2-1 hour.
5. If the brass is once fired military stuff, I use the Super Swage to remove the crimps.
6. Setup press with Tool head 2, Station 1 is a decapping die for clearing tumbleing media from the primer pockets, 2 is powder die, 3 is bullet seater, 4 is the Lee Factory Crimp die. Fill primer magazine and bullet tray and start loading!!!
So far I've loaded 6000 rounds of .223 for my AR 15 using this method, and I'm working on my first 1000 rounds of 6.8 spc as well.
-dave
Quote from Reloader on January 30, 2011, 6:11 pmThanks for pointers, davestarbuck, especially running the decapper again after cleaning to clean the primer pocket hole of any cleaning media.
In your step 6. you resize the cartridge in stage 1, and then resize it again at the trimming station in stage 3??
Or do you do the actual sizing in step one and run the case just enough to resize to min (1.1750")?
Lee factory crimp die? The Dillon .223 die set doesn't crimp enough?
Ouch!
Thanks for taking time for the post and to answer these additional questions.Wayne
Thanks for pointers, davestarbuck, especially running the decapper again after cleaning to clean the primer pocket hole of any cleaning media.
In your step 6. you resize the cartridge in stage 1, and then resize it again at the trimming station in stage 3??
Or do you do the actual sizing in step one and run the case just enough to resize to min (1.1750")?
Lee factory crimp die? The Dillon .223 die set doesn't crimp enough?
Ouch!
Thanks for taking time for the post and to answer these additional questions.
Wayne
Quote from Reloader on February 10, 2011, 5:00 pmWaynewal,
No tool head 1 is setup with a decapper in station 1 and the trim/size die in station 3. I size and trim in station 3. I think you have the terminology a bit mixed up, but you get the idea.
For what it's worth I use all Lee dies except for the powder die and the size/trim die as that's what I had when I started reloading. The Lee Factory crip die is wonderfull if you are loading for a semi auto, in my case a few AR 15's. I have no expericance with the dillon die, which I believe is a taper crimp die.
-dave
Waynewal,
No tool head 1 is setup with a decapper in station 1 and the trim/size die in station 3. I size and trim in station 3. I think you have the terminology a bit mixed up, but you get the idea.
For what it's worth I use all Lee dies except for the powder die and the size/trim die as that's what I had when I started reloading. The Lee Factory crip die is wonderfull if you are loading for a semi auto, in my case a few AR 15's. I have no expericance with the dillon die, which I believe is a taper crimp die.
-dave
Quote from Reloader on February 13, 2011, 4:54 pmTumbling loaded ammo is NOT recommended by NRA or most other authorities. You have the chance of a pointed bullet hitting a primer just right (or just wrong) with explosive results. I generally just wipe my loaded rounds off with a clean rag or paper towel.
Tumbling loaded ammo is NOT recommended by NRA or most other authorities. You have the chance of a pointed bullet hitting a primer just right (or just wrong) with explosive results. I generally just wipe my loaded rounds off with a clean rag or paper towel.
Quote from Reloader on April 14, 2011, 5:13 amI wouldn't worry about tumbling loaded ammo. All the manufacturers do it to give the ammo a final polish. A bullet won't hit a primer hard enough to detonate it in a tumbler since everything is moving all the time.
I've been tumbling my loaded ammo for more than 40 years and by now I've probably run 200,000 rounds through my tumbler and never had any kind of problem. The NRA and manufacturers say not to do it for legal reasons. They can't recommend anything that MIGHT somehow cause a problem.
I wouldn't worry about tumbling loaded ammo. All the manufacturers do it to give the ammo a final polish. A bullet won't hit a primer hard enough to detonate it in a tumbler since everything is moving all the time.
I've been tumbling my loaded ammo for more than 40 years and by now I've probably run 200,000 rounds through my tumbler and never had any kind of problem. The NRA and manufacturers say not to do it for legal reasons. They can't recommend anything that MIGHT somehow cause a problem.
Quote from Reloader on June 4, 2011, 6:26 pmHere's how I do my 20 Tactical;
(Assuming the brass is sized, trimmed to length and fire formed)
Station 1: Neck size and deprime -barely touching the shoulder- and prime
Station 2: Powder charge
Station 3: bullet seat
Station 4: Lightly taper crimpI check every 15 to 20 rounds' powder charge and have yet to find any significant variance in weight.
Here's how I do my 20 Tactical;
(Assuming the brass is sized, trimmed to length and fire formed)
Station 1: Neck size and deprime -barely touching the shoulder- and prime
Station 2: Powder charge
Station 3: bullet seat
Station 4: Lightly taper crimp
I check every 15 to 20 rounds' powder charge and have yet to find any significant variance in weight.
Quote from Reloader on February 4, 2013, 9:18 pmI am wondering about the use of the Lee factory crimp die, does the Dillon taper not do a good job or is it because you use a bullet with an ogive for crimping, please help me understand, wanting to load my own for carbine courses which seem to be as hard on rifles as a civi can get on an m4 without being on the two way range.
I am wondering about the use of the Lee factory crimp die, does the Dillon taper not do a good job or is it because you use a bullet with an ogive for crimping, please help me understand, wanting to load my own for carbine courses which seem to be as hard on rifles as a civi can get on an m4 without being on the two way range.